New pictures of poor Gizmo, a foal found abandoned in a critical condition on the side of a road, show him recovering and making friends at the vets.

The RSPCA was called after the tiny piebald cob was found close to death without his mother near Ridgewell Caravan Park in Yeldham Road, Ridgewell, last Tuesday.

Catley Cross Veterinary Clinic, based in Wickham St Paul, took in Gizmo, who was extremely underweight, hypothermic, dehydrated and had pneumonia.

He was also riddled with lice.

Since appealing for help funding the foal’s vet bills, more than 700 people have donated more than £19,000 in a week - with donations coming from as far away as Canada.

Veterinary surgeon Carolyn Wyse said Gizmo is still in intensive care but is going from strength to strength.

She said: “He is not out of the woods but he is bright and very happy to see us.

“He had the early stages of septicemia and that is what we have been trying to fight, it has been very scary.

“On Sunday night, he had a fever and his heart rate shot up and we stayed with him overnight.

See this week's Halstead Gazette for the full story.